Young drivers are statistically more likely to cause accidents than more experienced drivers.  Furthermore, teenage drivers have the highest death rate in automobile accidents than any other age group in the United States.

The Insurance Information Institute claims that car crashes are the number one killer of teenagers in America, and if a teenage driver has another teenager in the car the odds of getting in a fatal accident doubles, with 3 teen passengers it triples!  Obviously, young drivers need to focus on the task at hand and avoid distractions as much as possible.

Due to the lack of driving experience and increased statistical likelihood of causing an accident, young drivers face a challenge when shopping for affordable car insurance.  However, there are certain things parents and young adults can do to increase safety and lower young driver insurance rates.

1. Purchase a car that is safe and doesn’t tempt the teen driver to drive recklessly.  A sports car is not the best choice for a teenage driver.  Teenagers not only lack driving experience, but lack good judgment as well, especially male teens.  The less sporty the car, the less likely your young driver will be racing other drivers.
2. Choose a vehicle with good visibility and stability.  There are many cars on the market that appear to be safe, but check the visibility from all angles.  If your teen can’t see another car, then they may get in an accident.  Also, avoid large trucks and other vehicles that ride high in the air.  They are less stable and may rollover in the event of a sudden lane change.
3. Choose a car that has extra safety features and a high safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other safety associations.  Obviously, a safer vehicle will help protect your teen driver in a crash, AND it can help you find affordable teenage car insurance.
4. Have your teenage driver complete a drivers safety course. Some states even require the completion of a drivers safety course for teens under 18 years old to receive their license. Not only will a drivers safety course give the teenage driver more experience driving, but will usually help you to receive a discount on teenage car insurance rates.
5. Participate in a safe driving program.  Some insurance companies will extend a discount to drivers that opt for a safe drivers program.  This is different than the drivers safety course.  Safe driver programs for teenage drivers usually involve GPS units and video cameras installed in the teen’s vehicle.  These devices can help monitor the driving habits of the teen to reinforce safe driving behavior.  Not only will participating insurance companies extend discounted car insurance, but many will also subsidize the cost of the monitoring devices.
6. Help prevent your teenage driver from becoming distracted while driving.  It is a good idea to not allow your teen driver to listen to music or talk on a cell phone for the first year of driving.  We mentioned earlier that the likelihood of a teenager causing an accident increases substantially when they give rides to their teenage friends.  It is a good idea to make sure your young driver has ample driving experience before they give rides to their friends.
7. Help your teenage driver to help you find cheap teenage car insurance.  It is a good idea to have your teenager pay for their own insurance, or at least pay for part of it.  Once they have a financial incentive to find cheap insurance they will be more willing to take the steps to show they are a safe driver.  One way to reduce the cost of teen car insurance is for the teenager to do good in school.  Good grades (B average or better) can earn a discount from insurance carriers, so if your teen isn’t currently getting good grades he or she may change their tune if they realize they will have to pay more for car insurance if they don’t step up their studies!

The fact of the matter is the reason there isn’t what you might consider to be “cheap car insurance for teenage drivers” is because teenage drivers are more likely to get into accidents.  If you follow the advice we’ve given, your teen driver will be less likely to cause a fatal accident, and you can lower your car insurance rates.